Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Author visits CC/E Elementary: Author Julia Cook visited Clay Central/Everly Elementary on Tuesday to read some of her award-winning books and share lessons with students. Her dogs, Kirby and Tommy, made an appearance, too. Cook's books broach topics like rules and how they protect us as well as making friends and dealing with stress.
Valentine's Day at CC/E: Clay Central/Everly Elementary students enjoyed class parties, goodies galore and school-wide fun on Monday as they celebrated Valentine's Day in style.
Operation PB&J to benefit local backpack program
The H-M-S Kids Backpack Program is holding a peanut butter and jelly fundraiser. Those interested in contributing can do so by leaving a jar of peanut butter or jelly on the table near the check-out registers at Fiesta Foods.
Plastic jars only. All donations help a local child in need.
O'Brien County Pork Producers receive award
Iowa counties with organized and active local pork groups were recognized at the 2022 Iowa Pork Congress for their efforts in 2021 to grow membership and increase local activities.
IPPA recognized 23 county pork groups that held several local events to create an active presence in their communities during 2021. County Involvement Awards were measured through a points system on activities to promote the pork industry. Such activities could include grillings, supporting youth activities, advertising in local papers and other pork promotions.
Each county with 2,000 points or more received $500 from IPPA to help support their activities. Among them are Buena Vista, Cherokee, O'Brien and Sioux.
Apply now for Century and Heritage Farm program
Eligible Iowa farm owners are encouraged to apply now for the 2022 Century and Heritage Farm Program. The program was created by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation to recognize families who have owned their farms for 100 years and 150 years, respectively.
To apply, download the application on IDAL's website at iowaagriculture.gov/century-and-heritage-farm-program.
Applications may also be requested from Kelley Reece, coordinator of the Century and Heritage Farm Program, at (515) 281-3645 or [email protected]. Written requests can be mailed to Century or Heritage Farm Program, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Wallace State Office Building, 502 E. Ninth Street, Des Moines, IA 50319.
To be included in the 2022 Century or Heritage Farm Program, completed applications must be received by the department no later than June 1.
The ceremonies recognizing the 2022 Century and Heritage Farm families will be held at the Iowa State Fair on Aug. 18, in the Pioneer Livestock Pavilion.
Nominations being accepted for Governor's Volunteer Awards
Volunteer Iowa is now accepting nominations for the 2022 Governor's Volunteer Awards; entry deadline is April 15.
The Governor's Volunteer Awards program, established in 1982, provides an easy way for organizations to honor their volunteers with a prestigious, state-level recognition award. Three award categories are available: Individual, Group, and Length of Service.
Award recipient information can be submitted using one of the following methods:
All organizations (including state government agencies) submit information, and the handling fee ($15 per nomination) directly through Volunteer Iowa. Organizations will be able to submit the handling fee online. Nomination form can be found at http://www.volunteeriowa.org/awards
State agencies will submit nominations through the same online form. Invoicing will be handled separately. (Staff of state government agencies must submit nominations through their agency's coordinator.)
Nominations are accepted from: City governments, community colleges, county governments, federal government units operating in Iowa, Iowa MENTOR certified programs, K-12 schools (public and parochial), national service programs operating in Iowa (AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps Seniors), nonprofit and charitable organizations, private colleges and universities, and non-state government organizations.
NWI fishing report
Most area lakes have 16-plus inches of ice. Watch out for iced over holes and seams running across the lakes. Be sure you know a safe route on and off the ice. Bring safety essentials like flotation, ice picks and a friend. Area lakes have 1-3 inches of snow coverage.
All walleye between 19 and 25 inches must be immediately released unharmed at Big Spirit Lake, East and West Okoboji Lakes, Upper Gar Lake, Minnewashta Lake, Lower Gar Lake and Storm Lake; no more than one walleye longer than 25 inches can be taken per day.
Center Lake: Ice thickness is around 13 inches. Caution – the lake aeration system is currently in operation, creating a large open hole.
East Okoboji Lake: Most of the lake is fully iced with an average of 16-plus inches of ice allowing for safe ATV traffic in most areas. Be cautious of the open holes and seams that still persist. Panfishing has been good out from the Ritz; some sorting is needed. Try heavy tungsten jigs, plastics and baits.
Black crappie, fair. Bluegill, fair. Try jigging with tube jigs or a tungsten jig and live bait.
Ingham Lake: Ice conditions vary heavily around the lake; most areas have 17-plus inches. Caution – the lake aeration system is currently in operation.
Lost Island Lake: Ice conditions vary with an average of 17-plus inches. Caution – the aeration system is currently in operation on the east side of the lake out from the nature center. This creates a large open hole in the ice. Yellow perch – fair. Lots of sorting may be needed.
Minnewashta Lake: Ice conditions are safe enough to venture with ATVs with an average ice thickness of 16-plus inches. The panfish and crappie bite has been fairly good.
Black crappie, fair. A nice crappie bite can be found with a little movement around the lake. Bluegill, fair. Try jigging with tube jigs or a tungsten jig and live bait. Pumpkinseed, fair.
Scharnberg Pond: Trout were stocked this winter; fish should be biting well. You need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout. Brook trout, good. Rainbow trout, good. Trout are biting on a variety of different baits. Try a worm or lure that imitates a minnow.
Silver Lake (Dickinson): The lake is fully iced, with an average ice thickness of 17-plus inches. Caution – the lake aeration system is currently in operation. Walleye, fair.
Spirit Lake: The lake is fully iced; watch out for areas that had open goose holes until recently. Ice thickness is 16-plus inches in most places.
Black crappie, fair. Mostly being caught along with perch; use tube jigs with wigglers or pilkies. Bluegill, fair. Mostly being caught along with perch; use tube jigs with wigglers or pilkies. Yellow perch, fair.
West Okoboji Lake: Ice thickness is 16-plus inches in most places; there still are a handful of seams usually running from points. Know where trouble areas are before you venture on or off the ice. Panfishing has slowed a bit; with a little movement on the north end and Little Emerson Bay you may be able to catch a good amount of fish. Try heavy tungsten jigs, plastics or baits.
Black crappie, good. Try jigging with tube jigs or a tungsten jig and live bait. Bluegill, good. Many anglers have been successful off Triboji on the north end of the lake. Try jigging with tube jigs or a tungsten jig and live bait.
2022 starts with a dry and cold January
The new year has started colder and drier than normal, as Iowa ended January with an average of 0.68 inches of moisture, and an average temperature of 14.7 degrees, according to the latest water summary update by the Iowa DNR.
Rainfall was 0.29 inches less than normal and the temperature 4.8 degrees below normal. Drought conditions remained steady in January, but deteriorated in early February, with more than 70 percent of the state now in some form of dryness or drought.
"A drier than normal January is not really problematic, since January is normally the driest month of the year. However, the trend toward dryness is not encouraging," said Tim Hall, DNR's coordinator of hydrology resources, in a news release. "With the normally wettest months of April to June right around the corner, there is plenty of time for improvement of conditions."
Shallow groundwater conditions remain normal, benefiting from low water demand during the winter months.
Livestock Master Matrix adopted in 86 counties
Most of Iowa's 99 counties notified DNR in January that they plan to evaluate construction permit applications and proposed animal confinement locations by using the master matrix.
With few exceptions, most counties will use the matrix during the next 12 months. The following counties will not use the matrix in 2022: Benton, Davis, Des Moines, Guthrie, Grundy, Keokuk, Lee, Mahaska, Osceola, Plymouth, Wapello, Warren and Washington.
Additional requirements are required for animal confinement producers who need a construction permit before they can build in counties using the matrix. Producers qualify by choosing a site and using practices that reduce impacts on air, water and the community.
When a county adopts the master matrix, the board of supervisors can provide more input to producers on site selection, and proposed structures and facility management. Participating counties score each master matrix submitted in their county and can recommend DNR approve or deny the construction permit. They can also join in DNR visits to a proposed confinement site.
While all counties may submit comments to DNR during the permitting process, counties that adopt the master matrix can also appeal a preliminary permit to the state Environmental Protection Commission.
The deadline for enrolling in the program is Jan. 31 of each year.
Find more information, including a map of participating counties, on DNR's AFO webpages under Master Matrix.
The master matrix applies only to producers who must get a construction permit to build, expand or modify a totally roofed facility. Generally, these are confinement (totally roofed) feeding operations with at least 2,500 finishing hogs, 1,000 beef cattle or 715 mature dairy cows.
